Dr. Bernard Harris, Jr: First Black Man To Walk In Space

Young Start

Family Photo

Bernard Harris at 9 years old with mother, Gussie Harris, and younger brother, Dennis (7 yrs old) in Greasewood, Arizona in 1965.

“My mom had a college degree. She always instilled the importance of education,” says Harris.

High School Years

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Bernard Harris, Jr., graduation photo from Sam Houston High School in San Antonio, Texas in 1974.

“High school was a must, it was never an option,” says Harris.

Raft Rally

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Dr. Bernard Harris helps students with the “raft rally” project at his summer science camp at the University of Texas at San Antonio in July 2009. For the raft rally, students had to design and build a raft using predetermined supplies. The team whose raft held the most pennies wins!

“My new mission on earth is to ensure that all communities have the same chance I had,” Harris says.

Space Walk

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Dr. Harris and Michael Foale in the airlock of the Space Shuttle Discovery STS-63, prior to his spacewalk on February, 9 1995.

Ready to Touch the Sky

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Dr. Harris preparing to fly the T-38 jet at NASA’s Ellington Field in 1996.

Fun in the Water

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Dr. Harris visits with middle school students attending his free, two-week, residential summer science camp held at the University of Texas at Arlington in July 2009. All expenses for the camp are paid for by The Harris Foundation and ExxonMobil.

Fiction to Reality

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Cartoon that ran in the San Antonio Express in 1995 during Dr. Harris’ spacewalk.

Crowd Pleaser

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A shot of the crowd of about 10,000 students/teachers/administrators attending the Dream Tour event at the Toyota Center on December 14, 2009.

“I felt we had to go to where the students are to their neighborhoods to their school,” explains Harris.

Group Shot

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Dr. Harris poses with middle school students, teachers and administrators after the Dream Tour event from the Houston area.

Up, Up and Away

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Dr. Harris talks two volunteer students through a simulated Space Shuttle launch during the Dream Tour event at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Happy Harris

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Bernard Harris mixes it up with students in the Bronx during a two-day stop in NYC in October of 2008. He likes to interact with the kids during his DREAM Tour presentation and encourages them to ask questions during his visit.

A Heart to Give

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In 1980, Dr. Harris talked with elementary students as a second year medical student at Texas Tech University School of Medicine.

“I always knew that I wanted to help kids,” says Harris.

Curley Boston

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Dr. Bernard Harris talks to two students simulating a Space Shuttle Launch at Curley Middle School in Boston in Nov. of 2008. He brings actual Space Shuttle chairs to each DREAM Tour stop and asks for volunteers to help him demonstrate a launch.

Dream Tour Detroit

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Dream Tour Detroit 24- Another photo of Dr. Harris at a middle school in Detroit from March 2009. He gets students excited with a “STEM” chant – “Science – Technology – Engineering – Mathematics.”

The First

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In 1993, Dr. Harris conducting the first Tele-medicine conference from space with the Mayo Clinic.

Mr. CEO

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Dr. Harris is currently CEO and Managing Director of Vesalius Ventures (photo taken in 2009).

Graduation Day

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Dr. Harris on graduation day from Texas Tech University School of Medicine with classmates Michael and Rex.